Woman charged in fatal shooting had miscarriage

Planned to 'adopt' newborn

SPRING, Texas -- A Texas woman accused of killing a young mother and abducting her three-day-old boy had suffered a miscarriage and intended to "adopt" the newborn as her own, authorities said Wednesday.

Verna McClain, 30, is charged with capital murder after confessing to killing the new mother and grabbing tiny Keegan Golden from outside a pediatrician's office in suburban Houston. Keegan was found unharmed hours later with McClain's sister.

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Family handout
Kala Golden, who was shot dead, is shown with two sons.

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Verna McClain

The Montgomery County sheriff's office said Wednesday that McClain -- estranged from her husband, with whom she had raised three children -- had told her fiancé she was pregnant and had given birth to his child. Instead, McClain had miscarried, Capt. Bruce Zenor said.

McClain's sister, Corina Jackson, told authorities she had talked about needing to "do the adoption" soon after taking Keegan.

Her fiancé was being interviewed by authorities. Officials said they did not believe anyone else was involved in the shooting and abduction.

Sheriff Tommy Gage said Kala Golden had placed Keegan into her pickup truck Tuesday afternoon after leaving Northwoods Pediatric Center in Spring, north of Houston. The suspected shooter was parked next to her, Gage said.

During the confrontation, the woman repeatedly shot Golden, then snatched the child from her truck and drove away, according to witness accounts. The dying woman leaned into the vehicle and tried to take the boy back, screaming, "My baby!" but her attacker sped off.

Two detectives spotted a vehicle later Tuesday outside a nearby apartment complex that matched witnesses' descriptions, Gage said. Though McClain's apartment was empty, she later arrived and talked to authorities.

"During her interview with detectives, information was obtained that led detectives to a residence in Harris County where her sister lives and a possible location of the child," Gage said. McClain was later arrested. Police say she admitted carrying out the attack.

"I don't understand that, her taking a child," her estranged husband, Theo McClain of San Diego, told The Associated Press. The couple had two children together and raised a third from a previous relationship of his.

"That doesn't make sense. We have three kids. And then to shoot somebody? I've never known her to hurt anybody."

Investigators said McClain's statements included information only the shooter would know and indicated she attacked the mother Tuesday as part of a wider plan to kidnap any child and that Golden was a convenient target.

She was being held without bail.

The baby has been returned to family members, according to Keith Schuchardt, who said he had been married to Kala Golden for three years. He told the Houston Chronicle he learned of the shooting because as Golden lay dying, she asked another woman to call him and explain the attack.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, said Schuchardt could see his children as often as he wanted while authorities worked on the case.

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